VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

First Steps Learning Center LLC
8146 Elm Street
Mechanicsville, VA 23111
(804) 789-1870

Current Inspector: Sharon Curlee (804) 840-8312

Inspection Date: Sept. 9, 2024

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

8VAC20-780 Administration. 8VAC20-780 Staff Qualifications and Training. 8VAC20-780 Physical Plant. 8VAC20-780 Staffing and Supervision. 8VAC20-780 Programs. 8VAC20-780 Special Care Provisions and Emergencies 8VAC20-780 Special Services. 8VAC20-820 THE LICENSE. 8VAC20-820 THE LICENSING PROCESS. 8VAC20-820 HEARINGS PROCEDURES. 8VAC20-770 Background Checks 63.2 Child Abuse & Neglect 22.1 Early Childhood Care and Education 20 Access to minor?s records

Technical Assistance:

Effective January 1, 2025, the VDOE will begin determining compliance with ? 22.1-289.057 of the Code of Virginia, which is legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2020. The law requires all licensed child day programs, religious exempt child day centers that serve preschool age children, and certified preschools to test potable drinking water. The law requires that programs submit their plans and test results to the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water (VDH ODW) and the Superintendent. If the results of the testing indicate elevated lead levels, the program shall remediate, retest, and resubmit results to VDH ODW and the Superintendent. There is an additional alternative bottled water option that comes with additional requirements. The statutory requirement can be found online at https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14.1/section22.1-289.057/. Resources are now available for providers on the "What's New" webpage on the ChildCareVA website at https://www.childcare.virginia.gov/providers/what-s-new.

Comments:

An unannounced, on-site monitoring inspection was initiated on September 9, 2024, and completed on September 9, 2024, as a part of the conditional licensure period. The on-site inspection began at 12:45 pm and ended at 3:30 pm. The inspector reviewed compliance in the areas listed above. There were 11 children present and five staff with one volunteer. The inspector reviewed 10 children?s records and seven staff records on-site. This inspection included document review, tour of the facility, interviews, and observations. Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliance with applicable standards or law, and violations are documented on the violation notice issued to the program. Please complete the plan of correction (POC) and date to be corrected sections for each violation cited on the violation notice. Specify how the violation will be or has been corrected. Submit your POC within five business days from today, which will be the close of business on September 20, 2024. A POC submitted after this date will not appear on the public website.

Violations:

Standard #:	22.1-289.035-B-1
Description:	The center is required to obtain a completed sworn statement prior to the employee's first day of employment. Staff #4, employed for 6 days, did not have documentation of a sworn statement.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-130-A
Description:	The center shall obtain documentation that each child has received the immunizations required by the State Board of Health before the child can attend the center. Child #3 and child #4, both enrolled for five days, did not have documentation of immunizations on file. Documentation of immunizations for child #5 was dated one day after the first day of attendance.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-160-A
Description:	Each staff member shall submit documentation of a negative tuberculosis screening at the time of employment and prior to coming into contact with children. The documentation shall have been completed within the last 30 calendar days of the date of employment. Staff #4, employed for six days, did not have documentation of a negative tuberculosis screening on file. Staff #6, employed two months, did not have documentation of a negative tuberculosis screening on file.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-40-E
Description:	The operational responsibilities of the licensee shall include ensuring the terms of the current license issued by the department. The current license stipulates an age range of three months through five years, 11 months. On 09/09/2024, the youngest child is care was seven weeks old.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-40-M
Description:	The center shall maintain in a way that is accessible to all staff who work with children, a current, dated, written list of all children?s allergies, sensitivities, and dietary restrictions in each room where children are present. There was no list observed of children?s allergies, sensitivities, and dietary restrictions in each room where children were present. The record of child #1 and child #5 both listed a dietary restriction. The administrator stated she did not have a list of children?s allergies, sensitivities, and dietary restrictions.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-60-A
Description:	Each center shall maintain and keep at the center a separate record for each child enrolled which shall contain all required information. The record of child #3 and child #4 did not contain the address for the two emergency contacts listed for each child as required.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-70
Description:	A complete staff record shall be kept for each staff person. The records for staff #1 and staff #4 did not contain documentation of two or more references as to character and reputation as well as competency that were checked before employment or volunteering.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-210-A-4-a
Description:	Program leaders shall have fulfilled a high school program completion or the equivalent and have meet one of the following experience and education requirements. Staff #5, identified as a program leader, had documentation of 10 hours of training when 24 hours is required within six months of beginning work or within 30 days after being promoted or beginning work.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-240-B
Description:	Staff shall complete orientation training prior to the staff member working alone with children and no later than seven days of the date of assuming job responsibilities. Staff #1, employed for 14 days, did not have documentation of orientation training. Staff #2, employed for 14 days, did not have documentation of orientation training. Staff #6, employed for two months, did not have documentation of orientation training.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-245-L
Description:	There shall always be at least one staff member on duty who has obtained within the last three years instruction in performing the daily health observation of children. The director stated there were no staff with current daily health observation training.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-270-A
Description:	The center shall maintain areas and equipment of the center, inside and outside, in a clean, safe and operable condition. The gate to the playground had two exposed nails that could snag the skin of children in care.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-340-D
Description:	In each grouping of children at least one staff member who meets the qualifications of a program leader or program director shall be regularly present. Such a program leader shall supervise no more than two aides. Records were reviewed for the three staff (staff #1, staff #2 and staff #4) who were regularly assigned to the toddler-preschool classroom and who were the only staff present in the classroom on 9/09/2024. The three staff records did not contained documentation to demonstrate any of the three staff met program leader qualification. Administration stated she did not have a program leader qualified staff member for the classroom.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-420-E-1
Description:	The center shall post a daily record which can be easily accessed by both the parent and the staff working with the child. The record shall contain all the required information. The dry-erase board used to post the infant log did not include the amount of time the infant slept; the amount of food consumed and the time; a description and time of bowel movements; developmental milestones; and for infants, who are awake and cannot turn over by themselves, the amount of time spent on their stomachs.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-570-A
Description:	The center shall ensure when a child is placed in an infant seat or highchair, the protective belt was fastened securely. Child #1 was observed in a highchair with an unfastened protective seat belt. Child #7 was observed sitting in a bouncer with an unfastened protective seat belt. Staff acknowledged the two protective seat belts were not fastened.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-570-C
Description:	The center shall maintain a record of each child on formula that contain the brand of formula and the child's feeding schedule. There was no record of the brand of formula and the child?s feeding schedule for the three infants in care.
Plan of Correction:	Not available online. Contact Inspector for more information.